Miter-square



R. A. BREUL. MlTER SQUARE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.5, 1918 1,374,815.j Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

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RICHARD A. BREL, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

' Mirna-SQUARE.

specification of Lettersratent. Patented Apr, 12, 192L Application filed September 5, 1918. Serial No. 252,712.

ing such a tool more handy, perfect, reliable, Y

and stronger, and also cheaper to manufacture. rFhis refers more especially to the U4A shaped beam portion of ksuch a square, which at the present time is made to have a soft sheet met-al plate for covering and inclosing the inner hollow space of such a beam, and which is secured thereto by having its edgewise portions folded around the beam edges, all as according to my own former improvement, Patent No.-768,324 of August 23rd., 1904, to Richard A. Breul. My present invention embodies a stronger, very plain, and therefore more desirable construction of such a coveringplate and also contains certain other novel features hereafter referred to in the following` specification and accompanying drawings.

An illustration of my improved miter square is shown in Figure l of the drawings, while Fig. 2 is a top view, and Fig. 3 an end view of the usual beam portion. Fig. 4 represents a plate designed by me to cover such top or face of the beam, and F ig. 5 shows a lower or handle end of the body or miter plate of the improved square.

Such miter squares are now always composed of two main portions; a flat blank of sheet metal, denoted by A, consisting of the square or scale shank a and the miter shank 22, in combination with the beam part B, bent into U shape from a prepared blank and firmly secured to A in the position shown in Fig. l.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the narrow inner space, g, of the beam, conforms to the thickness of plate A and that it admits and frictionally engages with its end portions the Shanks a and l) of plate A, as shown in Fig. l.` The side portions of the beam are denoted by c and c', see Fig. 3, and the marginal edge portionsof these sides are bent outwardly at right anglesl in a manner to perfectly aline with each other and to be disposedpin a plane at right angles to the beam sides, as noted by f and f. Each one of these angular bends is designed to be rested against the edge of a board or other material to be measured or marked olf asv desired, along either the square or the miter edge of this instrument.

It is of much importance that all such surfaces of the beam, upon the correctness of which the proper progress and execution of the work depends, should always be perfect andreliable, and it is with this end in view that I have designed and provided an important reinforcement, consisting of a 'tempered steel plate C, to be firmly attached and united to the upper faces of bends f and f. It is clearly evident to any mechanic that the sheet metal, from which beam Bis formed and bentto shape, must necessarily be soft and pliable and also relatively thin,

to be safely and properly formed to the required shape, and many such squares have in fact become unreliable and even altogether unfit for use as a result of a defect caused by heavy pressure, blow, or fall against one or both beam flanges or f. Said plate C will readily and positively guard and insure such a beam construction of a miter square against any injury or displacement, as will be clearly shown by the following de.-

.scription .Plate C is a plain sheet metal blank shown in Fig. ll, and which contains two narrow slots, 7c fand Z, sawed or pierced thereinto, as shown, for the reception and fit ofthe miter plate shanks a and b. This' completes thepreparation of C, and as no bending is required for its use and for its` attachment to the beam, it is stamped from metal drawn to nearly a spring temper, adapted to resist a very severe blow or pressure, and the metal used is also considerably thicker than any such serviceable for the construction of the beam B. The operation of attaching this plate tothe upper faces of the flanges f and f of beam B consists in first placing-it in proper position thereon, so as to aline slots -c and Z ofthe plate with the inner space g of thel beam, and by thereafter spot welding said plate to both beam {ianges by placing both, as stated, for the various noted applications, between electric welding points of approximately the end shape shown by certain welding marks n, n, etc.,'see Fig. l. Three or more of these kwelds may be applied to firmly unite each of the beam flanges to the plate, and not only does this combination effect an exceedingly strong bracing of the beam construction by forming together a tubelike housing of great rigidity, but also covers and incloses perfectly the inner space of the beam.

Beam B, thus completed, is now ready for attachment to miter plate A, and is slipped into position thereon as shown in Fig. l, the end of miter beam extending to or near the bottom of beam space g, while a notch d, disposed on the inner edge of scale beam a, tightly engages end it of the lower beam portion 0, the central connection of sides c and e. lliile thus held together in proper and truly square position, the parts A and B are also united by the spot electric welding process and by the use of welding points at places indicated and marked by z' and z".

VMy square being new in completeV shape as shown in l, l desire to draw attention to several additional features, which further aid in the handling and correct use of such a square. lt will be noted that the front end edge it, of beam B, is not cut olf square, as in present manufactures, but inclines downward in an angular line and vin direction corresponding to the rear edge thereof. While, by such a change, sufhcient material remains to insure a smiicient and safe welding connection of the beain to the plate, a much clearer and more extended view is obtaia-ned, than in present makes, of the adjoining marked and figured scale portion of the plate. rfhis feature saves time in reading the scale, and obviates any liability to make errors, and thereby prevents possible loss of valuable material and annoyance to the operator. Furthermore attention is next called to the overlapping front end m of plate C, which protrudes considerably over the beam flanges and eX- tcnds near or up to the outer edge of plate A. This overhanging portion of C is not only of much convenience and assistance in narrow or end work, but of great help always in the use and correct application of the square, for the reason that practically all workmen hold this kind of square by the lower end of the scale shank a, as indicated by the arrow near Fig. 5 between their thumb and finger ends, and by means of the extended rest surface supplied by such extension m, a more perfect and reliable rest of the beam surface against the edge of the work is obtained by just a direct pressure of the workmans hand against it,

In the form of its manufacture at the present time, beam B has a square front and extends only as far as is indicated by its most advanced point in that direction shown in Fig. l. It is a matter of fact and made apparent by the foregoing statements and explanations, that quite a portion' of the scale marking is usually much covered up by the stated overlapping square beam end. lt is furthermore clearly evident that only strong, stiff, and unbendable plate can supply a dependable resting surface and rigid beam extension for such a square, disposed as shown and as described herein.

it is obvious, that the vlrious parts alluded to may be riveted or Ibrazed together instead of being welded, and that such manipulation would be within the scope and spirit of my invention.

Il claim:

l. in a miter square comprising a V shaped plate having miter shank and a longer squaring shank, and a beam U-shaped in cross section having square flanges and being formed from a sheet metal blank, these parts being secured together to form a figure l, the herein described improved integral beam construction, consisting of a' tempered metal plate resting upon and rigidly attached to the squaring flanges of the U beam, the shape of said metal plate conforming to the outline of the beam flanges.

2. In a miter square, comprising an angular plate having two arms forming a l5 degree angle, and a beam Ushaped in cross section provided with squaring flanges, and engaging and connecting said arms, the her a rigid housing formed by integrally securing upon the faces of the outwardly bent flanges of the beam a tempered metal plate, such plate overlapping the forward end of the beam.

3. As an article of manufacture a miter square consisting of a V shaped plate, formed to have a miter arm and a gradu-l ated arm, and of a beam U-shaped in cross section having squaring flanges, the front edges of the beam'sides disposed in a rearwardly and downwardly inclined direction,

` said beam squarin g flanges being secured to,

united, and covered by a plate extending beyond the beam flanges, approximately to the outer edge of the graduated arm of the V shaped plate.

RICHARD A. BREUL.

described improvement consisting of 

